prodriva

Is it me or does bogwood take much much longer in soaking to remove the old brown water syndrome when introducing new stuff. I bought 3 massive pieces in October last year for the office tank and the water is still tinged brown. Thats after soaking it for 5 days with daily water changes

Anyone got any hints or tips for soaking new bogwood as I've just bought a new lump for my tank at home 5/6 months of brown water ahead of me.

scoobys20mgh

From what I remember bogwood will leach dye's for as long as it has it!! it lowers the PH of water too if I remember rightly which is good for the fish from South America etc. You can try using carbon to take the stain out of the water - other than that not sure what you can do!

Mike

BrettC

If they are massive pieces of bog wood it may not be practical but boiling in batches of clean water quickly increases the rate of tanin release.

Do you not like the 'natural' tea coloured stain to the water? I used to actively encourage it. Reduces the glaring effects of the overhead halides or flourescent tubes.

The tanins won't harm the fish and some actually require it, ie discus and some tetra species. Just keep an eye on water pH/kH though and adjust accordingly to ensure optimum pH/kH for your fish species.

What type of filtration have you got on the tank?

Sometimes adding charcoal and a water polisher to an external cannister filter can help clear the aquirium.

hth

Tiggs

run a cabon reactor.

prodriva

Both tanks are Fluval deo 800's with external Fluval 204 at home and 205 at the office (same unit just upgraded this year). Both filter systems run carbon sachets and poly-whool including the foam, Pre-filter and Biomax. My home system also has peat granules but doesnt suffer the brown water.

I dont actually mind the brown tan of the water its everyone else who looks at the tanks and says "is the water supposed to look like that". I also cant understand why my tank at home has never suffered brown water even with the peat granules yet the office tank continues to to be afflicted by brown water.

scoobys20mgh

When did you last change the carbon? it has a fairly short life span in filters..other than that put it in boiling water in a bucket overnight - make sure it's not a car washing bucket as bogwood absorbs chemicals easily! Make sure you're doing regular water changes as well.

prodriva

Water changes every 2 weeks religously ranging from 20-40% a time. Carbon sachets are changed every 2 months.